China is a powerful country but we are not a weak nation: Army Chief

Acknowledging that China is exerting pressure on the Indian border, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today said that China is a powerful country but we are not a weak nation.

"The time had come for India to shift focus to its northern border. The country is capable of handling China's assertiveness. China is a powerful country but we are not a weak nation," the Army chief said.

On the issue of tackling insurgency in Kashmir, the Army chief said that the counterinsurgency operations will be shifted to northern areas this year.

"In 2017, our focus of the operations was in South Kashmir. This year it will shift to North Kashmir's Baramulla, Pattan, Handwara, Kupwara, Sopore and Lolab and some northern areas of Bandipore so that the infiltration can be thwarted there," he said.

He also stressed the need of inducting modern weaponry to prepare the army to fight battles of the future.

"We need modern weapons and technology. We have to look at what we require to fight the future wars. We have to get systems that are best suited for our requirements," he said.

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